21 mohalla clinics are opened across Delhi

As part of efforts to decongest big hospitals and make healthcare accessible to all, 21 mohalla clinics in various parts of the national capital were thrown open to the public on Thursday, with chief minister Arvind Kejriwal inaugurating one such clinic in Munirka area.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Kejriwal said, “While the previous dispensation spent Rs 5 crore for setting up dispensaries, we are setting up mohalla clinics at a cost of Rs 20 lakh. Here, in these clinics, we are providing free treatment, medicines and diagnostic facilities. You can avail these facilities for minor ailments. You do not need to go to a private doctor anymore.”

The AAP government plans to set up 1,000 such clinics by December 31.

All these clinics as of now are operating from rented premises and the government will soon build permanent structures. The first mohalla clinic was inaugurated in July last year in Rajiv Gandhi JJ Punjabi Colony, a relief camp in Peeragarhi.

For a little more severe ailments, Mr Kejriwal said, the government will set up 150 polyclinics in the city by December 31. “Twenty-two of the 150 planned polyclinics are now operational and by December 31 we will set up the remaining 128 clinics. For very severe ailments one can go to big hospitals,” he said. These polyclinics will have doctors from eight specialities, such as orthopaedics, gynaecology and paediatrics, etc., and will provide medical test facilities like X-rays, ECGs and ultrasound at these polyclinics. To decongest government hospitals and make healthcare accessible to all, the Delhi government has adopted a “three-tier public health roadmap”.

The first tier, mohalla clinics, which will be people’s first contact point with the healthcare system, will refer patients needing a specialist to the next level, the polyclinic. The polyclinics will refer only patients who require surgery or hospitalisation to a multi-speciality hospital.

Noting that the Delhi government has already decided to waive water bills pending till November last year, Mr Kejriwal urged people to be beware of fraudsters who might charge money for getting water bills waived.

He also said that he has been receiving complaints from people about them receiving water bills of Rs 3 lakh.